Age of Admittance
*2 to 5 years of age. (*2 years and 9 months)
Hours of Opening
The Nursery & Pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 09:00am to 3:00pm, 38 weeks a year term time, excluding bank holidays and school holidays. (8am & 8.30am starts are available and we offer lates until 5pm).
Settling In
It is our aim to allow all children time for settling in, so that the child can form relationships with their carers and become familiar within the nursery surroundings. Each child and their needs differ so the length of time for settling in varies from child to child.
We offer some short stay and plays the term before a child starts and then we can offer shortened sessions, if we feel this is necessary, lengthening them over a short period of time. This is in consultation with parents.
Changes
We reserve the right to make amendments to the terms and conditions of your childcare contract without notice. The current terms and conditions are published online.
Change of Details
You must immediately inform us of any changes to your registration details.
Court Order
You must inform us if your child is the subject of a court order and provide us with a copy of such order on request.
Nappies
We do not provide nappies or any additional nappy changing materials. We ask parents to supply these.
Off Premises Visits
Staff may occasionally take the children for walks or visits off premises during their sessions in accordance with statutory staffing requirements and parental consent being obtained.
Mobile Phone
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children who attend our Nursery and Pre-school we enforce a no personal mobile phone usage within our settings. Should you be on your personal mobile phone as you arrive at the nursery can we please ask that you conclude your phone call before entering the premises.
Equal Opportunities
We are equal opportunities organisation, which makes decisions without regard to race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status or sex change status or any other factor protected by law.
Nursery and pre School Closure
The Nursery and Pre School is closed on public Bank Holidays, during school holidays and non-teaching days.
Term dates are available via our website www.dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk
If the Nursery and Pre-school has to close or we take the decision to close due to events or circumstances which are outside our control, we shall be under no obligation to provide alternative childcare facilities to you.
If the closure exceeds 3 days in duration (excluding any days when the Nursery and Pre School would otherwise be closed), we will credit you with an amount that represents the number of days the nursery is closed in excess of 3 days, unless you are in receipt of funded hours.
Complaints or Concerns
If you have a concern or complaint, please speak to the Nursery Manager in the first instance. If these concerns have not been resolved to your satisfaction, please follow our complaints procedure, available on our website: www.dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk.
Employment or Solicitation of Staff
If, during this childcare contract and for a period of 6 months after the termination of this contract, you (directly or indirectly) employ or otherwise engage the services of any member of our staff who has had contact with your child under this contract then you will be liable to pay and you will be invoiced a fee of £2,000.00 as payment to us recruiting and training a suitable replacement member of staff.
Emergency Treatment
Any child who attends Nursery and Pre-school and has an accident whilst in our care will be given basic first aid treatment by staff. This will include the treatment of minor cuts, bumps or bruises.
Any emergency treatment or medical advice will be permitted unless a parent states in writing otherwise. The Nursery and Pre-school does not accept any responsibility for treatment given against parent's wishes if we have not been informed otherwise.
Procedures
All Parents will be informed and required to sign an accident form, electronically via Tapestry. In the case of a more serious accident or incident a child will be taken immediately to a doctor or the nearest hospital and parents will be informed.
Sickness
The Nursery and Pre-school will make every effort to notify parents should their child become ill at the setting.
Senior staff reserves the right to remove the child to hospital in an emergency. Please note minimum exclusion periods apply and must be adhered to. Our policy and guidelines have been written with reference to the HSA guidnce on infection prevention and control in schools and childcare settings.
Contagious Disease
For the benefit of the other children in the Nursery and Pre-school, you must not allow your child to attend the Nursery and Pre-school if they are suffering from a contagious disease which could easily be passed on to another child during normal daily activities of the nursery.
Antibiotics
If your child is prescribed antibiotics, please keep them at home until 48 hours dosage has been administered in case of adverse reaction to the medication. Antibiotics and medicines will only be administered by Nursery staff after the child has been taking them for more than 48 hours at home, and only then with authorisation from their parent. All antibiotics must be prescribed by a doctor.
Other medicine
We are only able to administer medication prescribed by a doctor and in the original labelled packaging. A medication form must be completed before staff can administer medication.
Child Protection
Any child who attends the Nursery and Pre-school, irrespective of their racial origin, gender, physical or mental impairment, class, religion or cultural background has a right to protection from neglect, physical, sexual or any other abuse and it is our priority to keep children safe from harm whilst in our care.
The Nursery and Pre-school adopts the school’s written policy on Child protection which is available here or via our website www.dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk
Delivery of children
Children should be delivered by parents/carers into the care of a Nursery and Pre-school staff member and their attendance registered.
Collection of Children
Children will not be released into the care of anyone other than those named on the childcare registration form unless authorised by the parents personally, by telephone or in writing. If we are not reasonably satisfied that an individual is allowed to collect your child, we will not release your child into their care.
In addition, a personal visit of introduction by the parents, of anyone who will be collecting the child on occasions is encouraged so we are able to confirm their identity.
You are required to inform us immediately if you are unable to collect your child from Nursery and Pre School by the official collection time. All collections must be by an adult over 18 years of age.
Social Services
It is our obligation to require or seek professional advice or actions from the local social services team if we suspect a child is suffering from harm. We have an obligation to report any instances where we consider that a child may have been neglected or abused to the relevant authorities. We may do so without your consent and/or without informing you.
Behaviour Management
Our Positive Behaviour Policy is available here or via our website www.dunalley.gloucs.sch.uk. The use of any form of physical chastisement, verbal humiliation, or aggressive handling of a child is not acceptable at the Nursery and Pre School.
Personal Property
The Nursery and Pre-school does not accept responsibility for loss or damage of personal property brought on to the premises by children or parents.
Clothing
Parents are requested to send children in easily washable, clearly labelled clothing which is appropriate to the weather conditions. Please discourage your child from bringing items of value to the Nursery and Pre-school. Please provide a spare set of clothing for your child in case of an accident or the need for change of clothing
Water
Fresh drinking water is available to all children throughout the day in a named water bottle, provided your child starts with us. This is freely accessible and available throughout the day.
Meals & Snacks
We provide a mid-morning snack for a small charge. Fresh fruit is available alongside a range of different foods eg cereal, toast etc. Fresh milk is also available at snack time. Children staying for lunch can bring in their own packed lunch, as a healthy school we request the children’s lunchboxes reflect this. School meals are available for children staying all day and can be booked in the morning. The menu and cost is available on the school website.
Nut Allergy
As the number of children with nut allergies is increasing with parental support we aim to endeavour to keep the nursery NUT FREE. Parents are requested not to send food or empty food packaging materials into the nursery.
Schedule of Fees
Fees are calculated on a 38-week booking pattern. The current schedule of fees is set out below.
Absence
Fees remain payable for periods of absence (holidays and sickness) as the child's place is kept open and staff and associated costs continue to accumulate and be met by the Nursery and Pre-school.
Registration Fee
We charge a non-refundable registration fee of £50 to reserve your childcare place and to cover all administrative and settling in costs.
Late Collection
Whilst we understand that on the odd occasion parents and carers may be late due to unforeseen circumstances persistent late collection will result in a late collection fee of £30.
Confirmation of Your Childcare Place
We will confirm your childcare place subject to childcare place availability.
Free Childcare Hours
Free childcare is available for all 3 and 4-year-old children, regardless of parental income, from the term AFTER a child's 3rd birthday.
3 and 4-year-old children will be entitled to 15 hours a week with an addition 15 hours per week available subject to eligibility and between the core hours of 9am – 3pm. If you choose to access any additional child care hours, these will be charged for. This includes earlies from 8am, earlies from 8.30am and Lates between 3pm and 5pm.
Please enquire with a staff member about funded places for children aged 2-years 9 months.
Sessions
Various sessions are available and calculated as stated in the table below:
For children aged 2 yrs 9mths – 3yrs:
|
Afternoons |
12.00pm-3.00pm |
£23.00 |
For children aged 3 years of age or over:
|
Morning |
9.00am-12.00pm |
£20.00 |
|
Afternoons |
12.00pm-3.00pm |
£20.00 |
|
All Day |
9.00am – 3.00pm |
£40.00 |
We accept a minimum booking pattern of 3 sessions per weeks
To increase your booking pattern, we require 24 hours' notice subject to availability.
The swapping of sessions is ONLY permitted on a permanent basis.
To decrease your booking pattern, you must provide us with thirty (30) days' notice in writing or by email to the Nursery Manager.
Should insufficient notice be given then you will be invoiced for the full childcare fees for thirty (30) days' notice from the date of any change as if the hours had not decreased.
If additional days have been booked, these will be invoiced on the following months invoice. If you book and then cancel you will still be charged for the day/session booked
We accept payments by standing order, BACS or childcare vouchers.
Childcare Voucher Payments
The voucher company pays the nursery directly and we accept payment by most voucher companies in the UK.
Please ensure all voucher payments are made before the 7th of each month as a late voucher payment may be charged.
Termination of Contract
If you no longer wish to maintain your child's place at the Nursery and Pre-school you will be required to give thirty (30) days' notice in writing or by email to the Nursery Manager. We reserve the right to exclude a child from Nursery and Pre-school for any breach of the childcare contract. We may terminate your childcare contract if your child’s behaviour at the Nursery and Pre-school is deemed by us to be unacceptable or endanger the safety and well-being of other children at the Nursery and Pre-school.
Key person system
Our staff work positively towards developing a working partnership with families. Our staff and pupils have the right to work and learn in a safe and supportive environment.
We provide clear guidelines for the management of unwanted behaviour.
Our families also have access to our school family support worker. Our Nursery and Pre-school/School Transition Policies includes opportunities for us to welcome families to our community through a variety of ways.
Zero Tolerance
Any parent behaving unlawfully will be reported to the police. Governors will actively seek the maximum penalties available by law.
11. Non-Payment of Fees
If the payment of Nursery and Pre-school fees is outstanding for more than 14 days after the 7th of the month this will result in the termination of your childcare contract and the loss of your childcare place. (Unless prior agreement has been made with the nursery management).
Upon termination of this contract the child shall not be permitted entry to the Nursery and Pre-school. This shall be regarded as a formal demand for all outstanding monies and we will issue a final invoice and pass this to a debt collection agency for full recovery. In addition, you will be liable for all associated debt collection fees and court costs.